Course Catalogue

Professional Issues in the Workplace COMPSCI3012

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Computing Science
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 3 (SCQF level 9)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Taught Wholly by Distance Learning: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course is intended for Graduate Apprenticeship students only.

 

By their third year, Graduate Apprentices will have gained significant experience of working as a Software Engineer. During their time in the workplace, they will have already encountered many of the ethical and social issues associated with professional Software Engineering. Drawing on this experience, and building on the material taught in years one and two, this course will allow apprentices to synthesise and evaluate what they have learned, while being exposed to an even broader range of issues via seminars and suggested readings. Acknowledging that apprentices will have encountered potentially quite disparate issues in their respective workplaces, the assessment of this course allows significant flexibility in the issues considered.

Timetable

One hour online seminar per week over 10 weeks.

Requirements of Entry

Workplace Assessment Year 1

Workplace Assessment Year 2

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

■ Two academic essays, each worth 20% [40%]

■ Two work-based reports, each worth 20% [40%]

■ Group presentation [20%]

Course Aims

The aim of this course is to formalise and consolidate apprentices' understanding of ethical, social, and professional issues that relate to Software Engineering. The course also aims to develop apprentices' verbal and written argumentation skills, honing their ability to construct well argued and properly researched positions on issues encountered in their professional experience as Software Engineers. In addition, the course aims to develop apprentices' critical thinking skills by encouraging them to critically engage with the arguments put forward by others.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

 

1. Explain the ethical and social issues they have encountered in the workplace.

2. Apply relevant professional codes of conduct in the workplace.

3. Analyse the ethical and social issues that relate to the profession of Software Engineering more broadly.

4. Evaluate, synthesise and present arguments about issues related to Software Engineering.

5. Demonstrate a sound knowledge and critical understanding of the factors governing the increase in emissions from computing.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions